418 BATAVIA TO CAPE OF GOOD HOPE CH. xvm 



left Batavia, and still imagined that they increased instead 

 of decreasing, although my opinion was universally thought 

 improbable. To-day, however, the mystery was discovered, 

 for on getting up water Dr. Solander, who happened to 

 stand near the scuttle-cask, observed an infinite number 

 of them in their water-state, which, as soon as the sun had 

 a little effect upon the water, began to come out in real 

 effective mosquitos incredibly fast. 



2nd. We saw that there were many houses and much 

 cultivation upon Cracatoa, so that probably a ship which 

 chose to touch here in preference to Prince's Island might 

 meet with refreshments. 



4th. Soon after dinner-time to-day we anchored under 

 Prince's Island and went ashore. The people who met us 

 carried us immediately to a man who they told us was their 

 king, and with whom, after a few compliments, we proceeded 

 to business. This was to settle the price of turtle, in which 

 we did not well agree. This, however, did not at all dis- 

 courage us, as we doubted not but that in the morning we 

 should have them at our own price. So we walked a little 

 way along shore and the Indians dispersed. One canoe, 

 however, remained, and, just as we went off", sold us three 

 turtle on a promise that we should not tell the king. 



6th. Ashore to-day trading : the Indians dropped their 

 demands very slowly, but were very civil. Towards noon, 

 however, they came down to the offered price, so that before 

 night we had bought up a large supply of turtle. In the 

 evening I went to pay my respects to his Majesty the king, 

 whom I found in his house in the middle of a rice-field, cook- 

 ing his own supper; he received me, however, very politely. 



llth. My servant, Sander, whom I had hired at Batavia, 

 having found out that these people had a town somewhere 

 along shore to the westward, and not very far off, I resolved 

 to visit it ; but knowing that the inhabitants were not at all 

 desirous of our company, kept my intentions secret from 

 them. In the morning I set out, accompanied by our second 

 lieutenant, and went along shore, telling all whom I met 

 that I was in search of plants, which indeed was also the 



